A relaxed loop from Marrakech with time to walk the gorges, two nights near the dunes and a return through the Draa valley.
Five days give the south of Morocco the time it deserves. You walk in the Dades and Todra gorges, spend two nights around Merzouga — one in a riad, one in the camp — and come back slowly through the kasbahs of the Draa.
It is the ideal trip for travellers who want the desert without long days on the road.
A complete loop of southern Morocco that returns to Marrakech by a different road. Going east you follow the road of the kasbahs and the gorges; coming back you cross the wild southern route between the Saghro mountains and the desert, and the little-known Ounila valley.
With five days the pace is relaxed: shorter drives, a full day in Merzouga and time to stop wherever you want.
Tour highlights
The road of the thousand kasbahs
The Dades and Todra gorges
A full day around Erg Chebbi
The fossil villages of Alnif and the kasbahs of N'Kob
The Draa valley
The kasbah of Telouet and the Ounila valley
The route
1Marrakech
2Ait Ben Haddou
3Dades
4Todra
5Merzouga
6Ouarzazate
Day by day
Day1
Marrakech – Ait Ben Haddou – Dades
High Atlas, Ait Ben Haddou and the Skoura palm grove. Night in the Dades valley.
Leaving Marrakech, the road climbs the High Atlas through Berber villages and walnut trees to the Tizi n'Tichka pass, at over 2,200 metres. On the other side you visit Ait Ben Haddou, the fortified ksar of earth that has appeared in many films, then pass Ouarzazate, the Skoura palm grove and the Rose Valley before reaching the Dades valley for the night.
Day2
Dades – Todra – Merzouga
A walk in the Todra gorges, then the road to Merzouga. Night in a riad at the edge of the dunes.
In the morning you drive to Tinghir and walk into the Todra gorges, where the river runs between vertical red cliffs that rise hundreds of metres high. The road then crosses the plateau of the ksour, with Tinejdad, Erfoud and the palm groves of the Tafilalet, until the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi appear on the horizon at Merzouga.
Day3
Merzouga: the desert
4x4 tour, Khamlia and the black desert. Camel ride at sunset and night in the camp.
Merzouga is the gateway to Erg Chebbi, a sea of orange dunes up to 150 metres high. By 4x4 you visit a nomad family for tea, the village of Khamlia, where Gnawa musicians of sub-Saharan origin play their hypnotic music, the seasonal lake and the black stone desert. In the late afternoon a camel caravan takes you into the dunes for sunset and the night in the camp, with dinner, drums around the fire and a sky full of stars.
Day4
Merzouga – Rissani – Draa – Ouarzazate
Sunrise, then Rissani, N'Kob and the Draa valley to Ouarzazate for the night.
After sunrise you take the southern road west, between the Saghro mountains and the desert: Rissani, Alnif, known for its fossils, and the village of N'Kob with its many kasbahs. You then follow the Draa valley, a ribbon of palm trees, and reach Ouarzazate in the evening.
Day5
Ouarzazate – Telouet – Marrakech
The kasbah of Telouet and the High Atlas back to Marrakech.
Instead of the main road, you take the old caravan route through the Ounila valley, past small ksour and terraced fields, to the kasbah of Telouet, once the palace of the powerful Glaoui family, with superb carved ceilings and zellige. You then join the Tizi n'Tichka road and descend to Marrakech.
Included
Pick-up and drop-off at your hotel, riad or the airport
Private air-conditioned 4x4 or minivan
Professional driver who speaks several languages
Fuel, tolls and parking
Nights in hand-picked hotels, riads or kasbahs
Breakfast and dinner every night
Camel ride into the dunes at sunset
Night in a desert camp
Not included
Lunches
Drinks
Entrance fees to monuments
Local city guides (on request)
Tips and personal expenses
Good to know
This is a private tour: only your group travels in the vehicle. You can add days, change cities or choose the level of the hotels.
The price depends on the number of travellers and the hotels you choose. Ask us and we will send you the exact price.
Frequently asked questions
Are the tours private?
Yes. Only your group travels in the vehicle, with your own driver. We do not run shared tours.
How much does a tour cost?
The price depends on the number of travellers, the season and the level of accommodation. Send us your dates and we will reply with a clear price.
Can I change the itinerary?
Of course. You can add days, start or finish in another city, or choose different hotels. Every tour can be adapted.
What is the desert camp like?
Our camps in Merzouga have tents with real beds, dinner and breakfast. Luxury tents with private bathroom are available on request.
When is the best time to travel?
Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are ideal. Winter days are sunny but desert nights are cold; summer is very hot in the south.